Arbutus unedo L.

Shrub or small tree with fissured bark (to c. 10 m high in cultivation). Young shoots glandular-hairy. Lvs glabrous, with very short petioles. Lamina 4.5–9 × 2–3.5 cm, a little larger on vegetative shoots, elliptic to obovate, crenate-serrate to serrate, sometimes almost entire on flowering shoots; base cuneate; apex usually obtuse. Panicle usually 4–6 cm long; peduncles and pedicels glabrous or puberulent. Bracts ovate to lanceolate, conspicuous and often tinged reddish, < or > pedicels. Calyx 2–3 mm long, often reddish; lobes broad, ciliate, obtuse. Corolla tube 7–8 mm long, white or pinkish, hairy towards apex; lobes broad, c. 1 mm long. Filaments villous; anther awns aristate, curved. Style shortly exserted. Fr. 1.5–2 cm diam., globose, orange-red or scarlet, with conic papillae giving a warty appearance.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Feb.–Aug.